James Bond Blu-ray Collection Three-Pack, Vol.2 (For Your Eyes Only / From Russia with Love / Thunderball) [Blu-ray]

Actors: Roger Moore, Sean Connery
Studio: MGM
Category: DVD

List Price: $89.98
Buy Used: $34.99
You Save: $54.99 (61%)

New (37) Used (18) from $34.99

Rating: 9 reviews
Sales Rank: 11061

Format: Box Set
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: Unrated
Media: Blu-ray
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Number Of Discs: 3
Running Time: 364 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.9 x 1.4

MPN: 122081
UPC: 883904122081
EAN: 0883904122081
ASIN: B001CXYEVA

Theatrical Release Date: December 29, 2008  (New: Last 30 Days)
Release Date: October 21, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: OPENED BUT NEVER PLAYED!!!

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Customer Reviews

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Great quality, dreadful packaging    January 2, 2009
C. Scott (Texas)
As some others have written, I'm giving this collectors edition 1 star simply because of the packaging. Video quality: 5 stars; Packaging quality: -5 stars.

Foam spindles holding the discs in? Really? It is unbelievable that people make money to think this stuff up. The first time you take a disc out, you'll likely rip the foam right off (if the foam hasn't been ripped off in shipping already, and the disc is floating around free in the package). Solution: superglue the ripped foam back to the cardboard; just make sure you let the stuff dry before you put the disc back in.

The quality of the older bond movies is amazing on blu-ray, so on that note they did a good job. Still, I can't get past the complete invalidation of the entire experience of a collectors package by using these ridiculous foam disc holders.

Remember kids, plastic makes it possible. Foam is used to wrap pipes and cushion objects, not hold blu-rays to a cardboard container. So, if you're willing to try the superglue method, or you're okay with tossing the package, go for it. Otherwise, you might want to look at the individuals.

On a side note, as I was writing the same review for each of the two volumes, I noticed some writing of incompatibility issues. For what it's worth, I've had none and am playing these on a PS3.


Will Not Play on Many Blu-Ray Players    December 18, 2008
M. Curtin
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

When it works, the picture quality is great. However, I have experienced issues getting the movie to play at all. I have now tried the discs on three different blu-ray players. They worked great with one player (unfortunately not mine) but could not get past the menu on the other two. This issue has been raised in other comments and I wish I had paid more attention before purchasing.


James Bond Blu Ray Volume 2    December 17, 2008
D. Easter (Lakemoor, IL)
1 out of 3 found this review helpful

First and probably last blu ray purchase. I Bought a HP laptop with blu ray for playing blu ray on trips and its my only player. This Bond collection was my first blu ray purchase. multiple updates of software later I still can only play 2 out of 3 of the discs. For your eyes only. Gives me a fbi warning and a commentary warning and goes to black. On top of that my home hd tv is not supported because it doesn't have hdcp? I paid to much for my home tv to replace it just for a new media format. I am sticking with DVD, and online services.


A Showcase Blu-ray Release, may get 2 movie tickets    November 26, 2008
A. Dent (USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

[I do not know if everyone is going to get this promotion but my 6-pack which included Vol. 1 came with a 'free tickets' promo through Dec. 31. As you remove the wrapper, you will notice a sticker that announces the promotion. Do NOT trash the wrapper because the web site and the code you need are actually on the back of that sticker. Once you get to the site and enter the code, you will be asked for a name and email address and some other items. Then, you are presented with a page that you must print and take it to the movie theater and it is good for two free Quantum of Solace tickets. On the Six-pack I got two of these, or 4 tickets and I took the whole family to the movies and 4 of the tickets were free.]

Let me first state that I was completely unaware of the problems with playing these movies until I browsed through the TvBoxset reviews. It is disturbing to constantly hear of people who paid good money for their expensive players not being able to fully enjoy movies that are expected to play on them. However, I have not experienced any problems playing a Bluray movie ever and this review is only discussing my personal experience with this specific package.

_____________________________________________
THE GOOD:
- Incredible video quality, better than what the audience saw on release date on some of the older movies.
- Lots of extras, most of them worth watching or listening to.
- Beautiful packaging.

THE NOT SO GOOD:
- The sound restoration not as good as the video.
- Some of the 'extras' sections would benefit from a 'play all' option.
- The box could be a bit slimmer.
- May require upgrades on certain players.
_____________________________________________

The overall impression is of quality, inside and out. The box could be a little smaller but the packaging is exquisite. There's a transparent plastic slide cover over a solid cardboard box holding a small binder on which the 3 individual movie disks are pages. Each movie comes on one disk, holding the movie itself and in incredible amount of extras.

The menu interface is well organized and there's is even some humor in labeling. For example, the option that plays the movie is labeled 'The Mission' while the historic promotional material is found under 'The Propaganda'. Depending on which section you may be, menu options branch into further sub-menus.

The extras are numerous and, for the most part interesting. The From Russia with Love disk, for example, has 3 fascinating interviews with Ian Fleming, including one where Fleming and Chandler discuss their work and their heroes, the Propaganda sections show contemporary trailers, even radio commercials.

The sound options include the original sound which, in the older releases is 'mono' but all movies have surround 5.1 as the default. The sound wasn't upgraded and improved to the degree that the picture was but, it's understandable. Going from mono to 5.1 surround would be the equivalent of upgrading from black and white to full-color 3-D in the world of images. The area where some of the older installments show their age is the sound.

When it comes to the pictures, the best that I can say is that you've got to see it to believe it. The restoration of the older movies started with the actual original negative, which is the one copy that's almost never touched. Once the copy was digitized as a 4000 lines resolution digital copy (Bluray is 1080) every frame was reprocessed to eliminate any possible defects from 'dirty optics', such as the proverbial hair that we sometimes see on the older movies to scratches, bad exposure, color brilliance. The restorers' goal for the end result, and this concerns the video only, not the sound quality, was to deliver what would appear to be a contemporary movie with a 60's or 70's theme rather than a 60's or 70's movies. In my view, they succeeded.

My overall rating is a solid five-stars. Just about everything in this release is superlative: the physical packaging, the interface design, the extras, the video quality. The sound is not so good on the older movies but, given the state of sound restoration technologies, I did not feel compelled to remove a star because the old movies sounded more or less like they did on release date.

Please note that and I am not factoring in player issues because, sooner or later, those are going to be addressed.


Most incredible restoration I have ever seen!    November 24, 2008
D. Lee (Chicago, IL USA)
I have seen a lot of great looking blu-ray disks, but never movies this old. For Your Eyes Only was the first Bond movie I saw in the theater and it did not look or sound near as good as this blu ray edition plays in my home theater. At times Thunderball looks almost 3D. This is outstanding for a movie that is 40 years old. I certainly feel for all those who are having problems with the disks. I have had several blu ray disks, including these, that would not play on my Panasonic. However, as before, I downloaded new software and they worked just fine. Hopefully the software issues for everyone else can be resolved, because these restorations are the best money I have ever spent on blu ray!